Accordion



Jan. 28, 1941. R. LIDBLOM 2,230,162

ACCORDION Filed Nov. 25, 1939 4 Sheets-sheaf 1 Inventor RlCHARD LIDBLOM,

A iiorneys Jan. 28, 1941. R LIDBLQM 2,230,162

ACCORDION Filed Nov. 25, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I [nvenibr RICHARD L\DBLOM,

By and M 5m A iiorneys Jan. 28, 1941. R. LIDBLOM 2,230,162

ACCORDION Filed NOV. 25, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 so {1. f 4 Q r' l $2 I jl I ji J .2: J t J Z a]. a0 30 Inventor Rlc HARD LIDBLOM,

By My 5mm A iiorneys R. LIDBLOM Jan. 28, 1941.

ACCORDION 4 Sheets-Shee 4 Filed Nov. 25, 1939 5 f. GD

uEq mm Wu wfl H B E M 7 j g 7% b a 'R\HARD LIDBLOM,

Patented Jan. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in accordions, the general objectof the invention being to so construct and arrange the parts that airwill pass through the reeds in the same direction both as the accordionis contracted and expanded so that the leather shutters now in use canbe eliminated, thus eliminating their initial expense of installationand also the frequent repairing of such shutters and also to providemeans for so operating the tone valves by the keys that the air canreadily pass through the openings when the valves are in open position,thus securing a free exit of the sound waves.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of the improved accordion with parts brokenaway.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the diaphragm meansfor controlling a valve.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 2.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the valves ofthe treble section are controlled by the key shanks.

Figure 8 is a similar view showing how the valves of the bass sectionare controlled by a key.

In these views the letter A indicates the treble part or section of theaccordion casing, the letter B .the bellows section thereof and theletter C the base section thereof, these sections being suitablyconnected together on the lines a. The section A has the extension A inwhich the keys I are arranged in the usual manner, the keys of the basesection being shown at 2 and these are arranged in the usual or anysuitable manner. The batteries of tone chambers are shown at I for thesection A and at 8 for the section C, each chamber having an opening 9in the end member ID of each of the sections A and C. These openings areeach controlled by a valve I l for those of the section A these valvesbeing controlled by the keys I and the valves for the openings 8 of thesection C being controlled by the valves H which are actuated from thekeys 2, these valves Ii and keys 2 being parts of the cord mechanism ofthe usual or any desired construction housed in the section C.

In carrying out my invention I provide an outer housing l3 whichencloses the valves II and a similar housing I3 which encloses thevalves ll and the outer wall of each housing has an elongated slot 14therein which is controlled by an outwardly opening flap valve l5 whichis hinged at one side edge to the housing as shown at It. The inner wallof each housing or the end wall ID of each of the sections A and C isformed with an elongated slot I! which is controlled by an inwardlyopening flap valve l8 hinged at one side to an inner portion of themember iii as shown at l9. An inner housing 20 is arranged in each ofthe sections A and C and encloses the batteries of tone chambers thoughthese housings 23 do not enclose the slots ll so that when these slotsare open the outer housings l3 and [3' are in communication with theinterior of the accordion and the bellows chamber or section. Anelongated slot 2| is formed in the inner side of each housing 20 tocommunicate the housing with the bellows chamber and each slot iscontrolled by a flap valve 22 which opens into the housing 20 and closestoward the bellows chamber. Each valve 22 is hinged at one edge to aninner wall of the housing 28 as shown at 23. An elongated slot 24 isformed in the front wall of each of the sections A and C and opens outinto each of the compartments or housings 2E! and is adapted to beclosed n by an outwardly closing valve 25 hinged at one edge as at 26 toan inner face of said front wall.

Thus it will be seen when the accordion is expanded by moving thesections A and C away from each other to create a vacuum in the bellowschamber, valves 22 will be closed and valves 58 will be opened so that asuction will be created in each of the housings i3 and i3 which willclose the valve l5 and if a valve H is open or a valve l l the suctionwill draw air through an opening 9, the tone chamber with which it isconnected and the valve 25 will open so that air will flow into thecompartment or housing 20 and will be caused to pass through the reeds38 through the opening 9 which has been uncovered by the opening of avalve l l and through the housing l3 and opening ll into the bellowschamber. Then when the accordion sections A and C are pushed togethervalves 22 will be opened so that the air in the bellows chamber willenter the compartments or housings 20, the valves 25 will be closed andthe air will pass through the reeds and through the openings 9 whichhave been uncovered by the valve members and then through the openingsl4, forcing the valves l5 open, valves l8 being closed by the pressureWithin the accordion.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the air will pass through thereeds in the same direction as the accordion is being contracted or thesections A and C forced together as well as when the accordion is beingexpanded by pulling the sections A and C apart.

Thus it will be seen that this arrangement eliminates one reed for eachreed opening and the leather valve forming strip for such reed as arenow in use and this also enables the instrument to be constructed withbut half the number of reeds while retaining the original tone or thesame amount of reeds can be used without increasing the size of theinstrument and thus the tone will be doubly brilliant.

The housings I 3 and 20 are made of such material and as thin aspossible, preferably of material such as sounding boards are made of soas to not dampen the tone but rather to make the tone broad and mellow.

The slots and valves are made long enough to furnish least resistance tothe air and the flap valves can be made from light leather strapped downon seat by means of small rubber bands thus easily lifting or seating onpressure or suction.

The flap valves may be positively opened and closed by diaphragms 39extending over openings made in the exterior wall of the accordion sothat the diaphragm will be actuated by either pressure within theaccordion or suction therein and each diaphragm is connected to a flapvalve by a rod 3| as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Thus in Figure 5, forinstance, when a vacuum or suction occurs in the accordion the diaphragm30 will be pushed inwardly and thus the rod 3| will close the valve butwhen pressure occurs in the accordion the diaphragm 30 will be pushedoutwardly so that the rod 3| will open the valve. When such means areused for opening and closing the valves the valves can be made frommetal and the like and seats provided of soft leather or the like forthe valves.

This arrangement will insure opening and closing movement of the valvesso that the valves will offer but little resistance to the air flowingthrough the slots when the valves are open.

Since the tone valves H and H are located within the housings i3 and itimproved means must be provided for operating such valves by the keys Iand 2.

I prefer to make these valves of light metal and provide seats of softleather or the like for said valves and they are arranged to work likedoors. As shown more particularly in Figure 7 each tone valve H isconnected to a rod 35 suitably supported for rocking movement on the endmember ill of section A, this rod forming a hinge for the valve and thespring 35 tends to hold the valve in closed position. The free end ofeach rod 35 is formed with a crank 31 which is engaged by a crank 38 ona wire 39 fastened to the shank 40 of a key I so that by depressing thiskey the crank 38 engages crank 3'! will turn the rod 35 so as to openthe valve H.

The same arrangement is used for controlling the tone valves ll of thebase section, as shown in Figure 8. In this View the stem 4| of each key2 is connected to an arm 42 extending from I a rock shaft 43, these rockshafts forming parts of the chord coupling now in use. Cranks M on thearms at engaging cranks :35 on the rods 46 of the tone valves II to openthe valves in the same manner as are the valves l I in Figure '7.

Thus these tone valves being connected with the hinge rods will functionrapidly without clatter and will fully open the opening so that thesound waves can escape freely without being retarded by the valves.

Thus it will be seen that this invention will greatly reduce the cost ofmanufacture and maintainence of accordions while increasing the tonequalities as it entirely eliminates the leather shutters and reduces thenumber of reeds required and the housings will increase the soundqualities of the accordions when made of resounding material such asmaterial used in violin bodies.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided thatsuch changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an accordion including a bellows section and a second section, abattery of reed chambers carried by the second section and an end wallof the second section having openings communicating with the reedchambers, key actuated valves for controlling the openings, an internalhousing in the second section enclosing the reed chambers for furnishingair to all the chambers, said housing having an opening therein forconnecting the interior of the housing with the bellows section, a valvemember for controlling said opening and opening into the housing, saidsecond section having an opening therein communicating the housing withthe exterior of the accordion, an inwardly opening valve for controllingthe lastmentioned opening, an exterior housing common to all thechambers and enclosing the key operated valves and having an openingtherein communicating said exterior housing with the bellows section andan exterior opening connecting the exterior housing with the exterior ofthe accordion, an outwardly opening valve controlling the last-mentionedopening and an inwardly opening Valve controlling the first-mentionedopening of the exterior housing, all of the valves of the two housingsbeing opened and closed by the action of the air thereagainst andcausing the air to flow by the reeds always in one direction.

2. In an accordion including a bellows section and a second section, abattery of reed chambers carried by the second section and an end wallof the second section having openings communicating with the reedchambers, key actuated valves for controlling the openings, an internalhousing in the second section enclosing the reed chambers for furnishingair to all the chambers, said housing having an opening therein forconnecting the interior of the housing with the bellows section, a valvemember for controlling said opening and opening into the housing, saidsecond section having an opening therein communicating the housing withthe exterior of the accordion, an inwardly opening valve for controllingthe lastmentioned opening, an exterior housing common to all thechambers and enclosing the key operated valves and having an openingtherein communicating said exterior housing with the bellows section andan exterior opening connecting the exterior housing with the exterior ofthe accordion, an outwardly opening valve controlling the last-mentionedopening and an inwardly opening valve controlling the first-mentionedopening of the exterior housing, all of the valves of thetwo housingsbeing opened and closed by the action of the air thereagainst andcausing the air to flow by the reeds always in one direction, diaphragmsacted upon by the suction and pressure within the bellows section andmeans for connecting said diaphragms to some of the valves for openingand closing said valves.

3. In an accordion including a bellows section and a reed chambercarrying section, the reeds of said chambers all opening in the samedirection and the second section having openings therein leading fromthe chambers, key actuated valve means for closing said openings, aninterior housing in the second section enclosing the reed chambers andhaving an opening therein leading to the bellows section and a secondopening leading to the atmosphere, said housing furnishing air to allthe chambers, inwardly opening valves controlling said two openings, anexterior housing common to all the chambers and enclosing the keyoperated valves and having an opening therein leading to the atmosphereand a second opening leading to the interior of the accordion, anoutwardly opening valve for controlling the first-mentioned opening ofthe exterior housing, and a valve for controlling the last-mentionedopening and opening toward the bellows section all the valves, exceptingthe key-operated valves being opened and closed by the action of the airthereagainst and causing the air to flow by the reeds always in onedirection.

4. In an accordion including a bellows section and a reed chambercarrying section, the reeds of said chambers all opening in the samedirection and the second section having openings in its end wall leadingfrom the chambers, key actuated valve means for closing said openings,an interior housing in the second section enclosing the reed chambersfor furnishing air to all the chambers and having an opening thereinleading to the bellows section and a second opening leading to theatmosphere, inwardly opening valves controlling said two openings, anexterior housing common to all the chambers and enclosing the keyoperated valves and having an opening therein leading to the atmosphereand a second opening leading to the interior of the accordion, anoutwardly opening valve for controlling the first-mentioned opening ofthe exterior housing, and a valve for controlling the last-mentionedopening and opening toward the bellows section, all the valves exceptingthe key operated valves, being opened and closed by the action of theair thereagainst and causing the air to flow by the reeds always in onedirection, rods supported for partial rotary movement on the end wall ofthe second section and connected with the side edges of the key operatedvalves for forming hinges for said valves and means for partiallyrotating said rods by the keys for opening and closing the key operatedvalves.

RICHARD LIDBLOM.

